Page 69 of Slow Burn
Man, it was scary how far ahead of myself I was getting. There was no use in dancing around what I felt for her anymore. Without even trying, she'd slipped past every single one of my defenses and took up residence in my heart.
The door slid open with a low hiss. Sheldon immediately attacked my leg as if he hadn't seen me in days. As I always did, I stooped and gave him a quick rub behind the ears and on the belly before pushing to my feet again.
"Bewitched, I tell you." With her shoulder propped against the doorframe and arms tucked under her breasts, she nibbled on her lip. "He isn't the only one."
One look at her and my insides turned over. I was in front of her, cradling her cheeks in my palms before she had time to blink. "You were crying again." The words came out low and angry. Not at Maddie, but the person who'd caused her to hurt.
In contrast to her red-rimmed eyes and blotchy cheeks, her lips spread into a smile. One that didn't look remotely forced. "They're not all sad tears." Her gaze held mine. "Wanna come in?"
"Yeah."
She took my hand and led me to the couch she'd just vacated. Once we were seated, Sheldon hopped on and made himself comfortable on my lap. Maddie gave her dog one look and immediately shook her head as she reached for the remote and turned off the television.
One of my hands dug into the fur on Sheldon's head while the other wrapped around Maddie's fingers. Her gaze immediately dropped to our connected hands. When she looked up at me again, I swear, I felt my heart split in half.
She looked broken and vulnerable but also strangely at peace.
"Remember how I told you about Lucetta and the dance studio?" I nodded and she swallowed before continuing. "Well, I have the opportunity to make it mine. So, this morning when I said I was going to see my parents, it was to ask them to help me."
I didn't even think about the words, they just spilled from my lips without hesitation. "If they can't help you, I can. I have more than enough savings. Whatever you—"
"Adam," Maddie gently interrupted my rambling. She let go of my hand and scooted closer to press her palm against my cheek. Eyes flicking between mine, she whispered, "You sweet, sweet man."
"Is that why you're sad," I pressed. "Because they said no?"
Her hand found mine again. "No, not really. My mom and I had a heart to heart today—our first one ever—and I learned things. Big things that will take a while to process but have already given me some sense of understanding." She shook her head, an embarrassed laugh blowing over her lips. "Am I even making sense?"
"So much." I reached forward to cup the back of her neck and Sheldon moaned in protest. Chuckling at the way too comfortable dog, I tugged Maddie's face to mine. "When you're ready, will you tell me about it?"
She shut her eyes and ran her nose along mine before pulling away. With those beautiful eyes trained on me, she smiled and said, "I'm ready." The story she told me after those two words was devastating. And even though, I could maybe understand why her dad acted the way he had, my heart shattered into a million pieces for the little girl who never understood why.
When she was done, I immediately took her face in my hands. "Oh, baby. I hate you had to go through all of that." My thumb brushed over her cheek before slidingdown to follow the line of her cupid's bow. "That why you didn't come over today?"
"Mostly, yes." She licked her lips, the tip of her slick tongue catching the pad of my thumb. "I saw an SUV I haven't seen on the block before parked in front of your house. I didn't want to disturb in case you had company."
"It's my brother-in-law's."
Her eyes went wide, eyebrows shooting up. "Your sister was visiting you?"
"Still is. They're asleep in my guest room. But I wanted to see you, so I snuck out."
Maddie's gaze roamed over my face for what felt like an eternity. "Why?"
I'd been so focused on the hurt in her eyes when I'd arrived, I'd forgotten I'd come over to lay my ugly truth at her feet. To confess my failures and pray like hell she'd want me. Only now I wasn't so sure I had the courage to go through with it. Because if Maddie walked away from me today, I wouldn't survive it.
I let go of her face and bowed my head, working my clammy palms up and down my thighs.
"Adam." Maddie's hand landed on my shoulder. "What's going on?"
Chin still pressed to my chest; my gaze flicked to hers. "There are things about me I need you to know."
"Okay," she said softly. "You can tell me anything."
Shit! Could I do this? Could I really cut open these wounds and show her how nasty they were? I didn't know. But damn if I wasn't going to try.
I lifted Sheldon off my lap and set him on the floor. Shifting in my seat, I faced Maddie. Our gazes connected and held while I poked my tongue against my cheek and blew out a loaded breath.
"Today was the first time in over eight months where Zoe, my sister, and I were in the same room. And before that, it'd been years." Stubbornly, the rest of my words refused to come out. Closing my eyes, I begged for the strength to give her this broken part of me.
